PORT TOWNSEND — Writer David Sedaris’ visit, to the Port Angeles High School auditorium, 304 E. Park Ave. in Port Angeles at 7 p.m. Wednesday, is a benefit for the Jefferson Clemente Course in the Humanities. This international program offers free college courses — in subjects ranging from art history to writing to U.S. history and beyond — to students who otherwise couldn’t afford such classes.

Applications are being accepted now for the 2013 Clemente classes, to start Jan. 3 at the newly remodeled Port Townsend Library Learning Center, aka the Pink House at 1256 Lawrence St. Abundant information about the application process — and about Sedaris’ reading — is at www.JeffersonClemente.org.

Academic director Lela Hilton encourages potential students to send in their applications soon; applicants are also urged to phone her at 360-732-0007 or email hiltonl@olympus.net.

In general, classes meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. January through mid-June. Each class is limited to 25 students.

If would-be students have any special considerations, Hilton added, they should call her to discuss them.

“I’m very flexible,” she said.

To take these humanities courses, a student must be 17 or older, be able to read a newspaper in English and belong to a household with income that is no more than 150 percent of the poverty level. Students do not need a high school diploma or equivalent.